Reflection In The Water

"Where's Jason?" Kate asked Oliver as she stepped into the main lounge of the police station, her sharp eyes scanning the room. The station was buzzing with activity, officers moving about, phones ringing, and the faint hum of conversations filling the space.

Oliver, a young officer with an ever-present nervous energy, turned toward her, momentarily caught off guard by her abrupt question. "Oh, Ms. Kate," he said, clearing his throat. "He's in his office."

Kate gave a quick nod, her mind already set on her next move. "Okay," she replied, turning toward Jason's office without hesitation. But before she could take a step, Oliver moved swiftly to block her path.

"Ms. Kate, you can't meet with him right now," Oliver said hurriedly, his voice laced with urgency. He knew better than to try and stop her, but it was his duty to follow protocol.

Kate narrowed her eyes. "Why not?"

Oliver hesitated for a split second before answering, "He's in a meeting with Commissioner Bob."

A wave of frustration washed over Kate. "Oliver, I can't wait. There's something urgent I need to tell Jason."

Oliver exhaled, clearly uncomfortable. "Please, just hold on a bit. As soon as the commissioner leaves, you can see him."

Kate studied him for a moment, her gut telling her to push past him, but she knew Oliver was just doing his job. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to be patient. "Fine," she muttered.

"You can sit in the waiting room," Oliver suggested, motioning toward the room just off to the right side of the lounge. "I'll let you know the moment the commissioner leaves."

Kate hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."

She moved toward the waiting room, but just as she reached the door, she caught sight of Jason’s office door swinging open. Commissioner Bob stepped out, his imposing figure filling the doorway, with Jason trailing behind him. Kate instantly abandoned any thought of waiting and turned on her heels, striding straight for Jason’s office.

Before she could get close, Commissioner Bob’s voice rang out, laced with sarcasm. "Oh, the investigative journalist Ms. Kate Miller is already here. How convenient."

Kate barely concealed an eye roll. Here we go, she thought.

Bob turned toward Jason, his smirk widening. "Look, Jason, your right-hand woman has arrived. She must be desperate to see you."

Kate knew Bob had a toxic personality—arrogant, condescending, and entirely too set in his ways. She refused to take the bait. Without sparing him a glance, she directed her attention to Jason. "Jason, I need to talk to you. Now."

Bob’s expression darkened at her blatant disregard. His voice rose slightly, his ego bruised. "Jason is not your personal assistant. He’s a police officer with actual responsibilities."

Jason tensed beside him. Bob’s words weren’t just an attack on Kate—they were meant to belittle him too. He had already spent the last hour being lectured over the lack of progress in their case, and now Bob was taking cheap shots in front of his team.

"Yes, Jason is not my pet," Kate shot back, her voice calm but firm. "If you have an issue with us working together on this case, then say it outright."

Bob’s nostrils flared. "I have an issue with people wasting time instead of delivering results."

Kate folded her arms. "And I have an issue with pointless taunts that contribute nothing to the investigation. I'm not here for political games—I’m here to help solve this case."

Jason, sensing the tension escalating, took a step closer to Bob. His voice was low but firm. "Sir, we need to approach this with patience and respect. This isn’t about egos—this is about catching a killer. You wouldn’t want unnecessary conflicts with the media, would you?"

Bob exhaled sharply, running a hand through his thinning hair. He knew Jason had a point. "Fine," he muttered after a moment. "We need to talk."

Without another word, he turned and strode back into Jason’s office.

Jason exhaled before turning to Kate. "Please don’t let him get to you," he said, his voice quieter now. "He’s under a lot of pressure, that’s why he lost his temper."

Kate scoffed. "Jason, I’ve dealt with men like him my whole career. I know exactly how to handle short-tempered people. But right now, I have something much more important to focus on."

Jason studied her, then gave a subtle nod. "Come with me."

Kate inhaled deeply, pushing down her frustration, and followed him into the office. She dropped into a chair, placing her shoulder bag near her feet.

Jason hesitated before speaking, his tone more careful now. "Kate, I need you to talk to Bob."

Her expression hardened instantly. "No, Jason. I don't have time to waste on that man."

"Kate, it's important," Jason pressed, leaning in slightly. "Bob is in a position to help us with a lot of things. I've already talked to him, and I made it clear he was out of line. He knows it. He’s waiting for you in the cabin."

Kate let out a slow breath, skepticism flashing in her eyes. "Are you sure he’s actually ready to cooperate?"

Jason nodded. "I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t sure. He knows he screwed up, and he’s willing to make amends. We need his help to move forward."

Kate ran a hand through her hair, weighing her options. Finally, she sighed. "Fine. But this better be worth it."

"It will be," Jason assured her. "Let’s go."

Together, they left the office and made their way to the commissioner’s cabin. It was a necessary step—one they had to take if they had any hope of catching the serial killer who had been terrorizing Adelaide.

Inside the cabin, Bob sat behind the desk, his fingers interlocked as he regarded them. "I understand you’re both working on this case," he said, "but I’m not seeing the results I expected."

Kate leaned forward slightly. "We’ve made significant progress, Commissioner. We’re following the right leads, narrowing our suspect pool, and Jason has kept you informed every step of the way."

Bob’s eyes darkened. "But you still don’t know who the killer is. And let’s not forget—the only suspect Jason arrested hasn’t even been charged."

Kate met his gaze steadily. "Because there’s a very real chance that Juan isn’t the killer. I assume Jason already went over that with you."

Bob exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Then if Juan isn’t the one responsible, who is?" He glanced between Kate and Jason, waiting for an answer.

Jason exchanged a quick look with Kate. They had some theories—strong ones—but they needed more evidence. And they needed Bob’s help to get it.